My Beloved
by Shorty Carter
Summary: A servant of God finally goes home, leaving a grandson to carry on her work. Read all, judge nothing. All flames will be used to heat my home. ONE SHOT


My Beloved  
By: Shorty Carter  
  
She lay on the soft bed, a quilt made by her daughter covering her fragile body. The room was quiet save for the sound of her gasping breath. Light filtered through the thin white curtains, playing on the quilt. Her daughter came in, followed closely by her son.  
"Mom? We brought the kids to see you," her daughter said, motioning for the children to come in. She opened her tired eyes slowly, a small smile lighting up her face.  
"Brook, Ben. Good to see you again, my dears." Brook, her daughter, smiled through the tears that were slowly running down her face. Ben and Brook's children filtered into the room, followed by their spouses. Rachel, Ben's wife, held a sleeping baby boy in her arms, the newest addition to the family. Natasha and James, Brook and her husband John's twins, ran to their grandmother, careful not to hurt her.  
"Grandma! We brought you something." The nine-year-old twins ran back to their father, grabbing the wrapped package from his hands then racing back to their grandmother's side. Kelli, Gabriel, and Alison joined their cousins at the bed, a smile lighting up each face. She took the gift from her grandchildren's hands, fingers struggling with the tape. Gabriel, the oldest of the six children, gently took the package from her and pulled the multi-colored paper away from the gift.  
"Oh my." Her wise, tired eyes filled with tears, her wrinkled fingers running over the details of the figurine. It was a figurine of an ordinary woman standing beside Jesus; their hands linked together, a bright smile on each face.  
"Do you like it, grandma?" James asked, grinning.  
"It's beautiful. Where did you ever find such a wonderful gift?" Tears were now streaking down her face, glittering in the sunlight. "Come here and give me a hug."  
Each child, in turn, went into their grandmother's arms. They each relieved a hug, a kiss, "Thank you", and "I love you".  
"The whole family's here today." They all looked up when the nurse spoke, smiling when they saw her.  
"Yes, yes they are," she said, carefully setting the figurine on the stand beside the bed.  
"And a new arrival!" The nurse smiled as she moved over to inspect the baby in Rachel's arms. "May I hold him?" Rachel handed the baby to the nurse. "Hello Mathew Adam Rove. Welcome to the world, my son."  
Ben's smile grew as he watched the 'nurse' gently kiss his son's forehead. The 'nurse' looked up at Gabriel, motioning him to come forward.  
"Why don't you take the kids into the waiting-room? I need to speak with your parents." Gabriel nodded as he took his little brother from the 'nurse'. Quietly the kids filtered out of the room, each saying good-bye as they left.  
"Hello God," she whispered, smiling weakly.  
"Hello Joan. How are you holding up?" God-in-nurse-form came over to Joan, taking her wrinkled hand in His smooth one.  
"I'm ready to go home." God smiled at her, squeezing her hand. Then He looked up at the four standing in shock.  
"Hello." They nodded in greeting, each standing beside their spouse.  
  
"Are you taking her home today?" Ben asked. God didn't answer. Instead He returned His gaze to Joan.  
"It's been a while," Joan whispered, holding onto God's hand as if it were the only thing keeping her alive.  
"I never left you. I was always there." Joan nodded.  
"I know that." She closed her eyes, her breathing noticeably slowing. "God, is Adam in heaven?"  
"Why don't you ask him yourself?"  
Suddenly the room was full of sound and light. Everyone watched in amazement as angels filled the room, their voices raised in praise. Joan's smile grew as she listened to the angels' voices, their song calming her soul.  
"Wow," Rachel breathed, staring in awe at the glory before her.  
"Joan?" Joan looked for the source of the voice, staring in shock when she saw who it was.  
"Adam!" She threw the quilt off her body, quickly scrambling off the bed and into her husband's arms. They stood there for a few minutes, both hugging each other fiercely.  
"Mom, Dad?" Adam and Joan looked at their children, all who were crying. Adam motioned for Joan to look at the bed, a gasp escaping her mouth. According to her sight, she was still lying on the bed, yet she wasn't breathing. She looked peaceful, almost asleep with her eyes shut and her mouth turned upwards in a smile. Joan turned towards the mirror on the wall, shocked to see that she looked like she was twenty again. Come to think of it, Adam looked twenty, too.  
"Ben, Brook. You've grown so much since I saw you last."  
"Dad, you're the one who's grown. Or should we say, gone down in age?" Brook said, smiling despite her tears. Adam walked over to Ben, Brook, John and Rachel, giving them each a hug.  
"I love you all, more than you'll ever know. Always remember that." They nodded, smiling. Now it was Joan's turn. She too hugged each of them, smiling happily.  
"Remember that I'm not gone, I've just gone home. I look forward to our reunion in heaven. I love you all so much." She stepped back, right into Adam's arms. God came over to the group, the figurine in his hands.  
"My beloveds, know that I am always beside you. I love each of you unconditionally, with all of my heart. Stand beside one another, and love one another as I love each of you." He smiled, handing the figurine to Ben.  
"I think this belongs to you. You'll know what to do with it." With a final nod, they began to fade away. Yet the angels' songs lingered in the room, along with a sense of warmth and compassion.  
"Oh, by the way, watch Mathew carefully as he grows. His role in life will be dangerous, yet needed in My Plan."  
And then they were gone.  
  
22 years later.  
  
He stood at their grave, a smile lighting up his handsome features. The warm summer breeze rustled his hair slightly, much like his mother used to do.  
"Well grandma, I'm fulfilling God's Plan. Tomorrow I'm going to Africa to serve as a missionary." He squatted in front of the double grave, running his fingers over the engravings. "I'm doing it in your name, Grandma. Yours too, Grandpa. I love you both."  
He stood again, reaching into his bag and pulling out a cloth wrapped figurine. He unwrapped it carefully, then bent and settled it between the two headstones. They had added to it after Joan's death, completing the figurine. As he stood and walked away, his bag slung over his shoulder, the wind picked up, dancing around the figurine. An ordinary woman standing beside Jesus, their hands linked, a smile upon each face. On the other side of Jesus was a man, his hand also linked with Jesus', a wide smile on his face. Somewhere above the cemetery, a young woman's laughter wove through the clouds, followed by a young man's. A strong voice sounded in the young man's mind.  
"Well done, Mathew. Well done, my son, my beloved."  
  
AUTHOR'S NOTE:  
  
There, my first JoA fic. I got this idea from my great grandmother's death. When my great grandma died, my grandpa and grandma witnessed it. They said her eyes lit up and she started talking, something she hadn't done for two months. Then she quietly passed away, a smile on her face. That's how I hope I go. Now go read some other funky fan fiction! I have to go brood over a lost love. 


End file.
